I didn’t know what to expect from my upcoming phone call with Rick Barry. Mike Dunleavy, his former teammate, once said “You could send him to the U.N., and he’d start World War III”. That wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement, but you can’t judge a person until you meet them yourself.
After a 30-minute conversation with Barry, what I can say is that he is very honest and outspoken. Though we were chatting over the phone, it felt as if I’d bumped into the retired star at a local supermarket. His authenticity was accompanied by logically sound opinions, thankfulness for his family and friends, and an everlasting competitive spirit.